Is life really just "the shadows we make with our hands?"

Iron Maiden: The Final Frontier

Some things get better with age, like fine wine – but heavy metal bands generally do not fall into that category.

How many bands from the 1970′s do you know of that still have a big enough following to sell out virtually every concert for the last TEN years? How many bands from the 1970′s are releasing TOP TEN albums this late into their career? The only answer that comes to mind is Iron Maiden!

This August, Iron Maiden released “The Final Frontier” – their 15th studio album, and in two weeks, it’s hit #1 in 23 countries worldwide, and the top 5 in almost ten more! Of course, that begs the question, “Does it really deserve these numbers?”

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A Slashdot article recently said:

“The RIAA will appeal the ruling that reduced Jammie Thomas-Rasset’s $1.92 million fine for file sharing to $54,000. ‘”It is a shame that Ms. Thomas-Rasset continues to deny any responsibility for her actions rather than accept a reasonable settlement offer and put this case behind her,” said RIAA spokeswoman Cara Duckworth.’ Joe Sibley, an attorney for Thomas-Rasset, said his client would not settle for the $25,000 that the RIAA has asked for.

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Well, with luck, I will get out of here in time to hang out in Ticonderoga for Fort Ticonderoga’s “Haunting” tomorrow… if not, then at the least Read more

So, right now, I am listening to Dream Theater’s “Lifting Shadows off a Dream” – while I get a little work done and think on just how inspirational some of my friends are.

It’s never too late to start dreaming – and it is never the time to stop dreaming!!!

Well, last night while doing some computer backups and restores, I spent most of the night on the phone with a friend. We had a pretty damn amazing conversation spanning numerous topics and interests. A wonderful side effect of that conversation was gaining the inspiration (for among other things) to try once more to quit smoking. So far so good.

With luck, this time I will hopefully make it long enough that I never start again. Thanks Matthew for the inspiration, and thanks Linda for the Nicorette gum!

Anyway, I’m hoping for many more amazing conversations like the one last night. And to never buy cigarettes again either…